Carpet cleaning services

[Art]

I was wondering which services work best in people's experience. Good old Stanley Steamer was rated comparable to the do it yourself machine from Hoover according to Consumer Reports. Then I see in the Yellow Pages another steam cleaner like Stanley but instead of being just a manual sweep they use a machine with agitator. Then I also see several Chem Dri franchises which use CO2 water instead of soap. I've used the Chem Dry fizzy spot cleaner in a spray can that they sell and I thought it was useless. Any comments on who cleans carpets the best these days? Thanks.

[Hogwild]

I clean my own carpets.

I used to rent the large industrial Rug Doctor brand units.

They had a large resevoir, powerful suction and an agitating brush head.

I guess they were too bulky for most people - so they changed them to a smaller (in my opinion inferior) unit.

So I bought one of the discontinued models. I share it with my family and friends.

Based on the colour of the removed water and the way the carpets look, steam cleaning is the way to go.

I imagine referrences from your trusted friends and neighbors will help direct you to a reputable contractor - if required.